journey of a lady knight
by MacaroniPie
Summary: so this time i'm actually trying to get a few chapters... i'm following the line that's probably overused, KD and after lady knight... a bit of adventure, a bit of romance, it's better than it sounds, i hope... please r
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was a year after the death of Blayce and his dog Stenmun, "I can't believe the war is still going on. We should have finished King Magur by now!" Kel's anger shimmered through her voice.

"Well at least you aren't left at home every time the war comes calling," the bitterness in Neal's voice apparent and augmented because his new bride had just left for Fort Mastiff in order to help with the training of hand-to-hand combatants.

"I'm sorry Neal, I forgot."

"It's all right; I've been on the edge since Yuki left. Damn it, she says she needs to do her part against the Scanrans… She's not even Tortallan, I don't want her anywhere near the border."

"You can't always be protecting her Neal, she can take care of herself, she feels that Tortall is her homeland."

"But she's pregnant!"

"You shouldn't be shouting that for everyone to hear," exasperated with her friend, at least he knew that she would be kept safe at Mastiff, her mind drifting to Dom. When would she next see him, midwinter festival? It's a possibility that the Third Company would spend a few days holed up at New Hope, after all, the refugees were finally being moved inland thanks to the King's increasing pressure on the house of Nobles as well as Commons.

"You look thoughtful, I didn't know you had been reading any philosophical books lately," Neal's playful voice broke the silence.

"I haven't, I was just thinking of the refugees and what we'll do after this next batch leave. We'll have about 200 after the Riverbank crowd are moved out."

"That would explain the glazed look you're wearing."

"Don't you have patients to attend to?" burst Kel, her outrage hidden to anyone but those close to her, Neal recognized the glare in her eye for anything but humorous.

"Sorry Kel," replied the sobered knight healer.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Hey Meatball, how's it going?"

"Good as ever my dear and caring cousin, and you?" replied Neal sarcasm lacing his words.

"As well as ever, the road's been rough this year around," Dom of Masbole replied to his cousin sarcasm.

"You don't sound excited, I would have thought after a year and a half I would get a better greeting than that."

"You don't deserve it," a smile flitted across Dom's face. "How's married life treating you?"

"Better than I deserve… Yuki's due in April."

"How exciting," genuine happiness filling Dom's features, "I'm going to be an uncle at last."

"It's not like you don't have nieces and nephews aplenty, what with Jessamine's twins and Graeme's kids," replied Neal, naming his two siblings. "So when are you going to get out of bachelor life, or are you staying single all your life, looking for the right girl?"

Dom's blue eyes turned serious, but turned his conversation elsewhere after a brief and awkward silence. "So how's the Lady Knight doing?"

"Thriving… Although she looks more thoughtful than usual."

"Well that's our Kel, thriving through the thick of the fight."

Despite his cousin's casual attitude towards the lady in question, Neal thought he saw something more in the recent behaviors he'd witnessed between the two. "I thought so, not that you're careless, nor she for that matter, but I thought I noticed a change in her during the Blayce hunt and I assumed it was you who she had her sights on."

"You are a Meathead, this marriage thing is really going to your head… If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're becoming a hopeless romantic dear cousin," faked amusement coloring Dom's sudden change in attitude.

"So you're going to deny it?"

"She has others in her view that are much better suited. Cleon for example, or even Seaver… why would she want me?"

"You know, for years I thought she liked me, I never told her, and she never told me. But I let it go because I'm not right for her, and well, I've always thought of her as a sister and having Kel as a cousin wouldn't be bad. If I had to guess, you are top most in her feelings and have been for years, at least since she became a knight."

"And what do you expect me to? She's not going to leave her people and it's not like I can marry, being in the Own." The bitterness that Dom unleashed after keeping his feelings to himself for years surprised him.

"Wait and see what Midwinter has to bring, then you can see what you can and cannot do. And don't tell me you wouldn't quit the Own for her, if you hurt her that way, you'll have more then a few bruises the next time we practice in the courts. Anyways, Raoul's coming down for a few days, and that means Buri too, we'll see what we can do," mischief filling Neal's expression.

Two days later brought the rest of the Third Company to dine at Kel's almost empty tables at New Hope, since most of the town's people had their own tables to eat at.

"Sir, you came," joy filling the Knight Commander's former squire, she dared not expect more friends than already here, what with Dom and his crew as well as Warren, Seaver and Owen.

"How are things keeping up around here young one?" Raoul replied, eyes glinting with amusement, "Anyone been chasing you for that cold heart of yours."

A fleeting expression of despair crept into Kel's face before she replied in a more cheerful tone, "None that I could tell, Sir," with a small laugh.

Glancing at his friend and Sergeant of a squad of twenty, he could see the struggle in Dom's face, as well as the hurt. "Well, keep your eyes open, I know of at least one looking your way, but be warned, he's not much taller than you."

"Sir?"

"Come along Kel, I need to abuse my husband some, and these hard veteran soldiers don't want to hear it," said Buri dragging the Lady Knight off to her chambers.

Pushing the Lady Knight down would be considered an impossible feat by most, and not only because of her deadly skills with knives, but also because of her height. Buri, considerably shorter than Kel, and for that matter her own husband, she insisted that they relax on the fresh linen that lay on the bed.

"What's eating at you Kel, I've never seen such a heartbroken expression on any lady's face, not even the court ladies, let alone one brought up in the Yamini court."

"I, I don't know."

"Yes you do, and if you want me to spell it out for you then gods' be grateful." Buri replied, having only recently been married to Raoul, she knew the feeling of despair that she wouldn't be proposed to by the love of her life. "You love Dom and he doesn't know it. And do you know what I think… I know, that young man cares for you beyond your imagination, and he looks like a love-sick puppy. If you remember Neal's expression when Yuki was off, it's ten times more obvious."

"Then I must be blind."

"He adores you even if he doesn't want to show it."

"The thing is… It's like Dom's been avoiding me. I haven't spoken to him alone except for a few words here and there about the weather. The weather of all things," Kel's voice raising slightly, if only for a moment her emotions swamped her Yamani calm face. "What a romantic topic. After all we've been through together, Blace and the killing monsters, the bandit hunts."

"Give him time, he just doesn't know what he's feeling," the K'miri calmly replied.

"Time, that's the last thing I should give him! I've given him four damn years, if he doesn't know what he's feeling than what am I supposed to think."

Several hours later, darkness filled through the windows of the chamber in which Buri and Kel had been talking. Treating Kel like the younger sister she never had, Buri let the young warrior fall asleep, her tear washed face wiped dry as she dreamed, her head sinking deep into the soft down of the pillow, a luxury uncommon in no man's land.

"Let her sleep," said the K'miri when her husband came in to see what was taking the ladies so long, "She needs it, what with this lot keeping her up half the night."

"You're right, but let me at least carry her to her own rooms," replied Raoul, calmness emanating from him as he cradled the knight in both arms. "I'm glad she's not growing any taller, I don't know what I'd do if she did happen to, as it is, she's only five or so inches shorter than me," his light teasing voice drifting away as Tobe closed the door after they reached the narrow corridor.

Earlier that day, while his wife was talking to Keladry, Raoul spoke with Dom, he knew he held sway with the young commander and hoped he could share some advice with him. So over some ale, the two men walked over to the river down the mound that separated the refugee camp from the land around it.

"Dom, you know I consider you my friend, but I must warn you, if you toy with Kel like your other flirtation, I will have to hurt you. I take a father's interest as well as a friend's." The older man gravely stated once they had reached their perch.

"I would never… I'm afraid to get involved with her because of the sacrifices that we'd both have to make. You know it's true, she would never leave her people, and I can't leave mine. I need to be useful just as much as she does."

"That's true, and I doubt I've heard a truer word, but if you are serious, I may have a solution," replied Raoul, the gravity left his voice as he pondered the details of the issue. "A few weeks ago, when Neal brought the issue up, he also suggested a solution."

"hmph… Neal, what did he think of, an elopement?"

"You should think better of your cousin than that… But those were his first thougts, but the more pressing matter on his mind was that old Flint has decided to retire a little early, complaining of rheumatism in the bones. Personally, I think it's an excuse to spend time with his children while they're still in the house."

"He's married?" Dom exclaimed in a shocked voice.

"According to Neal, he has no medical illness other than being homesick," a weathered warrior like that, who would think it possible.

"So if you take command of Second Company, than who's replacing your position, Merin or Lankin?"

"Neither, Dom in short, you'll be promoted to commander of Third Company, you'll be respected and followed by the men unlike Merin or Lankin. Lankin will come with me to Second Company and Merin's fief if flooded in the south. Once everyone's reassigned you can make the proper proposal if you so wish, but if you break her heart, I'll make sure Ilane of Mindelan is able to get her hands on you. If you've never seen an angry lady with a glave, then you haven't seen half the kraken." On a more cheerful not, Raoul answered in a laughing voice the questioning note that Dom was giving him, "Buri decided to learn how to wield one summer before last, after our first argument, I was scared enough to hide in the servant's quarters at the palace."

"What happened when she found you?"

"Thank the Goddess the lady took pity on me, she told me that I looked like a scared dog that had just run away from a whipping only to meet the butcher, she was laughing when she saw me under the bed."

Seeing the young man's restored happiness, Raoul added "All the palace's servants were joking for week's about how a oversized knight had to run away from his wife."

After another thoughtful pause, "Talk to Kel tomorrow, Buri's taking care of her now and with the news that there was love sickness in the air, she couldn't keep herself from meddling. Women… well you'll find out soon enough I dare say."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It was a new dawn as Kel climbed out of bed, still in yesterday's clothes, to see Tobe sleeping on a pallet by the fire. Quickly, she bathed and dressed in the dressing room across the hall, returning to find her bed made and Tobe standing at attention. Oh gods, when was the last time that Tobe had been this worried as to not let her out of her sight long enough to feel she was alone.

"What is it Tobe? I'm not leaving here for a while yet, and I'm not going to try and leave you behind again."

"Nothin' miss."

"Spit it out Tobe, I know you're worried."

With a brief hesitation, Tobe started speaking in a gush, words tumbling over each other "It's just that I overheard Lord Raoul of Goldenlake talking yesterday by the river. He seemed to think you'd be gettin' married soon and if you do, you'll no doubt leave me and the others here. It's not like you're the only knight in residence and Lord Wyldon knows it."

"I'm not getting married anytime soon Tobe, there's no one to ask me, and there's no one that will…" Kel let her voice trail off as she thought about yesterday's conversation with Buri. "How did I get up to my room? Last I remember is that I was talking to Buri." She wasn't going to mention to anyone that she was crying, and she hoped that Buri wouldn't bring it up.

"Oh… Lord Raoul carried you in here because you fell asleep when talking to Buri apparently."

"Oh, did I," she said, sounding somewhat surprised. "Damn. I had meant to talk to everyone yesterday at supper."

"If you don't mind me saying my lady, you need sleep as much as anyone else, more so perhaps," he knew she hadn't been sleeping much with the preparations to make New Hope a town, that with the additional dreams of Blayce and Stenmun even though they were long dead.

"Well go on down and get ready Tobe, don't worry, I won't get married without telling you."

"Yes mother," cheek returning to the growing boy.

"Sit down Kel, you must have a hell of a headache, according to Buri you tried to drown yourself in brandy. Life isn't that bad I hope, and you're not usually one for drinks," Neal said from the chair in her office as soon as she walked in. "Even when life throws the worst at you."

"What are you talking about Neal," retorted Kel. "You know very well that I don't drink."

"I would have said the same before, but after seeing your eyes, you never look dazed, not even slightly out of it. And don't make up excuses, you weren't up late, you didn't go to bed with anyone, yesterday wasn't any worse than usual; in fact, with all the excitement I would call it better than a usual day."

"Nothing's wrong Neal so just go, mind your own business."

"And get eaten up by everyone who lives here, I think not." A small smile returned to his face as he imagined his cannibalistic friends. "Give Dom a chance Kel, I wouldn't say he's good enough for you in normal circumstances, seeing as he dares to call me Meathead, but that's just my opinion."

Seeing the deathly glares coming from her direction and noticing that her hand was tightened around a rather sharp glave, Neal got up and walked over to Kel in order to give her a minor healing. "This'll take the pain away. Don't worry, it won't have any side effects, after all you did sleep most of the pain away."

"Thank you Neal," she answered, drifting into a light sleep.

"Hey Kel," Dom's dreamy voice drifted through her doze.

"Dom?" she whispered.

"Darling," she heard a voice whisper in her ear, and felt a warm body next to hers. "Wake up…"

"What time is it?"

"Past midday," replied Dom, amusement filling his voice.

"What?" exclaimed Kel, jumping out of the couch, and Dom's embrace, in surprise. "Damn him, that cousin of yours is going to die one of these days."

"May I help, you know I've always wanted some amusement."

"I've got to go, I have plow duty today," damn- she thought, her head was still throbbing, and she would like to sink back into that embrace that Dom had so casually given her, but they were friends… nothing more, no matter how much she wished it was more. There I go again, I am fickle she thought, no better than a fish, flopping one way and as soon as the sun shines flipping to the other side. The other part of herself argued, it's not like you were going to stay mad at him forever, you're in love, even if you don't admit it.

"Don't worry Kel, I've called some favors in," Dom grinned at the thought of his knight commander toiling in the fields, from his own experience, it wasn't a pleasant job until one knew how to make a straight line, and he was sure that Kel had her own fair share of experience based on the teasing she got from her fellow refugees.

"Don't tell me you had Cook out of the kitchen, who knows what disaster will befall us if the children weren't fed," thinking of the disaster and wreck her people would create for their mother, namely herself, to clean up.

"Worry not my little warrior maiden," Dom replied, pulling Kel to him so that he could hold her closer. "Our dear old knight commander is toiling down there."

Laughing at the thought of Raoul working in the fields picking up any dainty little seeds that were not cleaned out by ravens or crows in the previous months, she welcomed the embrace that brought her closer to Dom. Leaning back against his shoulder, Kel turned her head sideways so as to look at the blue eyes that she so adored and saw the love that Buri was talking about.

"So Meathead, tells me you've been drinking," Dom said thoughtfully, "I can't imagine why?"

"You can't imagine why? It's at moments like these that I remember that you are the cousin of Sir Meathead, although sometimes, even he has more sense than you."

"So tell me."

"You have hardly looked at me since you arrived, you've been avoiding me and I've been thinking that the one person, who's not in love, is the person I want to love me."

"Who said I'm not in love?" Dom asked flirtatiously.

"Where's the proof? It's not like you don't flirt with half the world.

"Not the whole world?"

"Sorry," Kel replied with sly smile, "I only assumed that you would flirt with the half in skirts. I can always donate some to your squad."

"Oh do I indeed," faking outrage as a smile still played across his face while he continued on in despair saying "For your information, my skills have abandoned me."

"Your skills," Kel replied skeptically, "have never diminished let alone abandoned you."

"My dear lady, I have indeed stopped my flirtations with anyone but your lovely self," he said with a light kiss.

"Thank the Goddess they're no longer moping," with the hushed smile of a conspirator doomed to success, he whispered to Owen.

"A much better match than Cleon ever made if you ask me," said Owen cheerfully, hurriedly adding "oh… uh… sorry, I just meant that-"

"Don't worry about it Owen, it's true- leave it at that," said Buri, cutting off the newest knight of the group.

"I can't wait till tomorrow, it's midwinter's eve and who knows what luck will come our way," the excited Owen exclaimed.

"Or are you just wondering what presents you'll receive…"pondered Neal, a glint of humor apparent.

**I've been thinking/ debating to post this story for over a week now, but I've finally done it. But if you want to read more, please please please give me a review or two, a little bit of encouragement never hurt *hopefully innocent smile*. It's not finished unless you want it to be.**


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